Real Madrid News
Real Madrid winger ready to commit his future to club despite exit links – report
Marco Asensio’s decision to change agents and switch to Gestifute, the agency owned by Portuguese super-agent Jorge Mendes, has raised many eyebrows across the Real Madrid camp lately.
However, according to a report from Diario AS, the Spanish international has no intention to leave the Santiago Bernabeu in the summer, despite speculation over his potential exit.
Once regarded as one of the best up and coming talents in Europe, Asensio’s progress has stagnated in recent years due to injuries and lack of form.
The attacker has struggled to offer consistency up front, and despite scoring 11 goals in all competitions this term, he has fallen behind Rodrygo and Vinicius Junior in the pecking order.
Asensio’s current contract at Santiago Bernabeu expires at the end of next season. Reports earlier in the year had suggested the two parties are set to hold talks later this season, discussing the future of the Spanish international.
However, the talks are yet to take place so far as we head towards the final phase of the campaign, with only a handful of games remaining before the season comes to a close.
For Real Madrid’s part, they have no intention to offload Asensio for a free transfer. As such, they would want to finalise a decision on the player’s future by end of the season.
Los Blancos believe a move elsewhere could be the right choice for Asensio as they are expected to bring in major attacking reinforcements in the summer, including Kylian Mbappe, who remains the top target for the league leaders.
Mbappe’s potential arrival could further diminish Asensio’s chances of becoming a first-team regular. And even though the player is open to remaining at Santiago Bernabeu, his decision to switch to Gestifute suggests he could be prepared to bid farewell later this summer.
Real Madrid News
Real Madrid weighing up January move for €70 million-rated Arsenal midfielder – report
Real Madrid’s midfield is the one department where Jose Mourinho sees clear scope for improvement, especially given that the club did not sanction his wish for a top midfield signing in the summer.
While Bernardo Silva has chipped in as a handy option to feature in the deep midfield, the club still lacks a controlling and creative option who can glue the team together.
In that sense, there is a clear lacuna that Real Madrid need to address and Defensa Central brings to light that the club have opened up to a potential target.
Zubimendi emerges as a target
Indeed, the player in question is Arsenal’s Martin Zubimendi who the club have seen as a target for a long time, and Real Madrid could even go on to sign him in January.
The Spanish international has not started off the new season well under Mikel Arteta and has primarily featured as a substitute. He does, thus, see a move to Madrid with good eyes in every sense.
Real Madrid, for their part, have not ruled out his signing as was reported in recent months and there is even a chance they seriously pursue him in the winter transfer window as a mid-season fix.
The possible fee
The Spanish outlet also add that Zubimendi’s move to Real Madrid could be completed for a fee similar to what Arsenal paid for the player for his transfer from Real Sociedad – €70 million.
Mourinho’s insistence on making a new midfield signing is no secret, and with a clear target now in mind, the board could well back him with the player he wishes.
Notably, however, even Chelsea are seriously interested in his signing.
So far, Federico Valverde has been Real Madrid’s mainstay in midfield, and Aurelien Tchouameni’s return will change the team’s dynamics in the department.
Neither player, however, offers the control and distribution skill set that the team direly lack.
A big part of whether or not the club pushes for Zubimendi, however, will depend on how the Valverde-Tchouameni combination plays out in the coming months. It is, after all, the manager’s first-choice combination for big games.
